Detachable handle for cylindrical containers

ABSTRACT

A flat sheet of low-cost, limp material, such as plastic, is die cut to form a plurality of individual, limp compressible, nonself-supporting handles separable by perforated lines. The sheet forms a carrier for cylindrical containers and the handles are attachable on the containers to convert, for example, beer cans to beer mugs. Each handle includes a pair of flat annular elements each having an inner circular edge, the elements being distorted from a flat plane to form hollow cylindrical loops sleeved on a can, in parallelism with the cylindrical can wall, wholly within the cylinder outlined by the projecting can rims, and separated by an annular element forming a doubled hand grip. The doubled handle is limp and crushable against the can for storage.

United States Patent Doucette [451 Aug. 8, 1972 [s41 DETACHABLE HANDLEFOR- CYLINDRICAL CONTAINERS 21 Appl. No.2 3,603

[52] US. Cl. ..220/94, 206/56 AB, 206/65 C, 224/45 C, 294/3 1.2, 294/33,294/872 [51] Int. Cl. ..B65d 25/28 7 [58] Field of Search ..215/100 A;220/85 'H, 94 R, 220/94 B; 206/65 C, 56 AB; 294/312, 33, 87.2; 224/45 A,45 C, 45 P; 229/52 AL 2,812,968 11/1957 Sevener ..294/33 FOREIGN PATENTSOR APPLICATIONS 608,566 1 H1960 Canada ..224/45 P Primary ExaminerGeorgeE. Lowrance Assistant Examiner-Stephen P. Garbe Attorney-Pearson &Pearson [57] ABSTRACT A flat sheet of low-cost, limp material, such asplastic, is die cut to form a plurality of individual, limpcompressible, non-self-supporting handles separable by perforated lines.The sheet forms a carrier for cylindrical containers and the handles areattachable on the containers to convert, for example, beer cans to beermugs. Each handle includes a pair of flat annular elements each havingan inner circular edge, the elements being distorted from a flat planeto form hollow cylindrical loops sleeved on a can, in parallelism withthe cylindrical can wall, wholly within the cylinder outlined by theprojecting can rims, and separated by an annular element forming adoubled hand grip. The

doubled handle is limp and crushable against the can I for storage.

8 Claims, 7 Drawing Figures PATENT ED M19 8 I97? 3. 682.352

INVENTOR. 5| THEODORE ADQUCETTE 28 53 29 52 7' PM +72w DETACHABLE HANDLEFOR CYLINDRICAL CONTAINERS BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION It has heretoforebeen proposed to provide detachable means for converting a beveragecontainer, usually of the type having a wide mouth, into a mug, cup, orstein having a handle. It is mandatory, by reason of local sanitaryordinances, for barrooms, taverns and drugstores to have automaticdishwashers which provide long exposure of drinking receptacles toboiling water to thereby destroy germs. The public, however, because ofthe spread of hepatitis and other diseases, has become increasinglysuspicious of the actual germfree condition of such publicly useddrinking receptacles. The problem has long since been solved at sodafountains in that there are few in this country which do not provide adisposable paper cup, in a conical holder, for soft drinks.

Unfortunately, alcoholic beverages, and especially beer, do not seem totaste as well when served in paper, as when served in a stein or in ametal can, but cans without handles are cold, difficult to hold forlong, and otherwise unsatisfactory.

FIELD or THE INVENTION There is a line of patents disclosing detachablehandles, often of relatively high cost metal, and having snap latches,grooves, or the like, intended to grip the upper and lower rim of a beercan, to form a detachable handle. Exemplary thereof is US. Pat. No.2,707,827, of May 10, 1955, to Petram, wherein the handle is also asharp-pointed beer can opener, or US. Pat. No. 3,261,633, of July 19,1906, to Sakuta wherein the handle is of stiff, but resilient plasticand projects above the can.

Another line of patents teaches detachable handles for use with taperedcontainers, for example, US. Pat. No. 1,486,967 of Mar. 8, 1924, toKaufman, there being no problem of fall-through with a tapered containeras occurs with a cylindrical can or bottle.

Still another line of patents discloses elements which encircle acylindrical can, but solvethe fall-through problem by using expensivecoil springs, as in US. Pat. No. 2,922,558 to Harvey of Jan. 26, 1960,and US. Pat. No. 3,073,493 to Pfaffenberger of Jan. 15, 1963,

or by using a suction cup as in US. Pat. No. 2,484,531,

to Simmons of Oct. 1 l, 1949.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In this invention, the detachable handle isintended to support a cylindrical container, such as a smoothwalled,probably moist, beer can, but without resorting to suction cups, coilsprings, rim clamps, or the like of the prior art. Instead, the deviceof this invention more closely resembles the flat handle of US. Pat. No.2,617,676 to Kinney, of Nov. 11, 1952, in that it can be die cut fromlimp sheet plastic, or even formed by a tape, ribbon, or elongatedstrand, and requires no metal moving parts, no extruded rigid plasticparts, and no other other costly and space-taking elements. The deviceof the invention also avoids the use of stiff cardboard, as in Kinney,or the use of self-supporting resilient polyethylene as in US. Pat. No.3,116,947 to Brownrigg of Jan. 7, 1964, and avoids forming a seat forthe can bottom, it having been discovered herein that a pair of limpannular loops integrallyconnected by a limp handle loop, spaced from thecan, each loop of the pair being distorted into a sleeve parallel to thecan wall efficiently, positively, and inexpensively convert the can intoa mug.

In addition, the one-piece, limp, non-self-supporting handle of theinvention, with its pair of annular loops separated by a limp hand grip,when formed in a sheet with separable perforated lines, becomes a uniquesixpack carrier, with a handle for each can of the six pack.

Thus, for example, beer cans can be shipped. refrigerated, and sold incorrugated cartons, each with a limp, detachable handle thereon which iscrushed into the spaces between the cans. Similarly, a six-pack carrierhaving six handgrip strips or areas, can have six cans held in the twocenter strips while the opposite two pairs of outer strips are bent upto form a convenient handle. In practice, the user may prefer to simplyattach his own three-apertured handle of the invention to hisrefrigerated beverage can by sleeving it over the rims prior to openingthe pull tab and thereby assure himself that the receptacle isuncontaminated with germs, lipstick, or the like.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWING FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing acylindrical, rimmed, beer can with an individual, detachable handle ofthe invention sleeved thereon;

FIG. 2 is a side elevation showing another embodiment of the invention,in which the handle is of strand material and the can supported thereinby snubbing and friction;

FIG. 3 is a plan view of the device shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a plan view of a preferred form of the individual handgrip ofthe invention prior to application to a can;

FIG. 5 is a planview similar to FIG. 4, showing the limp detachablehandles of the invention, crushed into the spaces between cans shippedin a carton;

FIG. 6 is a plan view of a six-pack carrier sheet divided into sixhandle strips; and

FIG. 7 is an end elevation of the carrier of FIG. 6, showing theopposite outer pairs of handles extending upwardly to form a carrierhandle.

DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENT In the drawing, a typicalcylindrical beverage container 20 is shown, such as an aluminum beer canwith a pull tab opener 21, a pair of projecting rims 22 and 23, each ofpredetermined diameter, and a cylindrical wall 24 of reduced diameter.As shown in FIG. 5, when the beer cans 20 are juxtaposed in shipment,the upper and lower rims 22 and 23 are in contact with each other, andthe rims define a circumferential plane 25 which is the thickness of arim outside the plane 26 of the wall 24. Most of the can-encirclinghandles of the prior art extend outside the plane 25, with a rigid ornon-crushable portion which would prevent the cans from touching andrequire more packing space.

The detachable handles 28 of this invention are formed of limp,non-self-supporting material 29, which is preferably a thin sheetplastic 30, not easily tearable, but otherwise of about the bendabilityof a sheet of writing paper. The material 29 is slightly yieldable andstretchable, and is preferably the sheet plastic now much used as asix-pack carrier having six rings in a flat sheet, each ring beingstretchable over a can rim to receive and tightly encircle the can wall.

As shown in FIG. 6, the six-pack carrier 31, may comprise a sheet 30, ofplastic 29, having at least two identical strips, 32 and 33, each stripincluding three annular elements, 34, 35 and 36, plus at least two, andpreferably at least four, additional such strips, 37, 38 39 and 40, thestrips being separated by perforated lines, such as 43, 44, 45, 46 and47, which are in parallelism with the longitudinal center line 48 of thealigned rings.

As shown in FIG. 7, six cylindrical cans may be received in the annularelements 34, 35 and 36 of the two central strips 32 and 33. The twoopposite pairs of strips 37 and 38, and 39 and 40, may be foldeddownwardly, as shown in dotted lines on lines 44 and 46, to protect thecans during shipment, while displaying the trademark through theapertures. Upon sale, the said pairs of outer strips are upfolded asshown in FIG. 7, on lines 44 and 46, to provide a convenient handle,with finger apertures for carrying the six-pack.

It will be seen that each strip 32, 33, 37, 38, 39 and 40, of thesix-pack carrier 31 is separable on a perforated line to each form anindividual handle, or handgrip, 28, of the invention, as best shown inFIGS. 1, 3 and 4. Each handle 28 includes a body 50 of the low-cost,non-self-supporting disposable material 29. The body 50 is normally flatand planar and includes a pair of substantially identical, integral,annular elements 51 and 52, each having a circular inner edge with aninside diameter substantially equal to the diameter of the cylindricalwall 24 and each spaced from the other by the integral handle, orhandgrip element 53. As shown, the elements 51, 52 and 53 are preferablyidentical rings, adapted to serve as a carrier for three cans or as ahandle for one can, the annular handgrip 53 forming a doubled, orbifurcated, grip which is most convenient for the fingers 54 of theuser.

The annular elements 51 and 52 are slightly I stretched to slide overthe rim 22 and are distorted, or twisted, out of their normal flat planeto take the form of a hollow cylinder tightly sleeved on the wall 24, inparallelism with the cylindrical surface 26 thereof and wholly withinthe confines of the cylindrical surface 25 defined by upper and lowerrims 22 and 23. It will be seen that the junctions 41 and 42 of eachhandle 28 hang rather limply outwardly and downwardly when the handle isapplied to a cylindrical can. The handgrip portion 53 can be freelycrushed or compressed against the wall 24 within the palm of the usershand, to provide friction and prevent fall-through even though the userdoes not desire to use the handle. Similarly, as shown in FIG. 5, theannular, hollow cylindrical elements 51 and 52 do not prevent the cansfrom being closely packed, and the limp handles 53 are easily crushed,or compressed, into the space 55 between the cans when packed in acarton 56, or carton type, can carrier.

The annular, hollow cylindrical elements 51 and 52 are normally flatwiseand tightly engaged with the cylindrical wall 24 to provide friction,and it will be noted that the fingers 54 of the user, when within thedouble loops 58 and 59 of handgrip element 53, tend to pull the annularelements horizontally into even tighter engagement, while the littlefinger 57 tends to push the can away to increase the snubbing action.

I-Iandgrip element 53, preferably, normally forms the doubled loops 58and 59, which curve away from each other while hanging limply, at aspaced distance from the can wall and is easily distorted, or deformed,against the wall, but the handle 61, shown in FIG. 2, is formed ofmaterial of even less inherent strength, such as a flat, narrow, tape,ribbon, or strand 62. Such a handle does not lend itself to combined useas part of a six pack carrier, but does compress within the confines ofthe cylindrical plane 25 of the rims to take up no excess space and addlittle to the cost of the beverage. The annular elements 63 and 64 ofhandle loosely encircle can 20 and are knotted, or otherwise fastened,to a single handgrip strand 65 as at 66 and 67, so that the can 20 isheld in place by the snubbing action of the strand loops together withthe friction of the fingers 54 against the can and the wedging effect ofinserting the fingers 54 between the limp handgrip loop 65 and the can20.

The spaced-apart loops 58 and 59 of handgrip element 53, are quiteflexible and conform to the configuration of the users hand withoutdanger of cutting, or chafing the skin. A single handle could beprovided, but the can tends to sway on the fingers as a fulcrum so thatthe widely spaced loops 58 and 59 are much preferable.

The spaced-apart annular elements 51 and 52 are of predetermineddiameter when resiliently distorted into a plane normal to the fiatplane of the sheet 30, the diameter being substantially equal to thediameter of the wall 24 and slightly less than the diameter of the rims22 and 23. The term limp is used herein in its dictionary meaning toimply lack of stiffness, drooping, inelastic, and to not mean materialswhich are stiff, rigid, firm, strong, unyielding or self supporting. Thedegree of 'limpness, crushability, compressabitity resilience and selfsupport denoted by the term limp herein, is

that of a sheet of writing paper.

What is claimed is:

l. A detachable handle for cylindrical containers, of the beer can typehaving projecting rims at each opposite end which outline a cylinder ofgreater diameter than the diameter of the cylindrical wall of said can,said handle comprising:

a one-piece body of low-cost, limp, disposable, nor

mally flat material, said body having:

a pair of substantially identical, integral, annular elements, eachhaving a circular inner edge, each encircling said cylindrical containerat a spaced distance from the other and each distorted into a hollow,cylindrical loop sleeved around, and closely fitting around saidcontainer to extend in parallelism with said can wall entirely withinthe confines of the cylinder outlined by said can rims, and

a limp, crushable handgrip element integrally formed of said materialand connecting said annular elements, said handgrip element normallyforming a limp, downward-hanging loop spaced from said container butbeing freely and non-resiliently compressible against said container topermit adjacent containers to touch in storage or shipment.

2. A detachable handle as specified in claim 1,

wherein:

distorted from said plane to each assume a hollow,

cylindrical configuration normal to said plane, in parallelism with andin intimate frictional engagement with, and'substantially sleeved aroundthe cylindrical wall of said container and the inside diameter of saiddistorted, hollow, cylin-.

drical, annular elements is substantially equal-to the outside diameterof said cylindrical can wall. 4. A detachable handle as specified 'inclaim 1, wherein:

the material of said body is a limp, non-self-supporting, elongatedstrand, and said annular elements are integral, closed circular loops ofsaid strand, each of predetermined diameter relative to the diameter ofsaid container, to be attachable over any projecting rims on saidcontainer while supporting said container against fall-through while inparallelism by an angular snubbing tension from the direction of thehandgrip element of said body. 5. A detachable handle as specified inclaim 1, wherein:

said body is formed of stretchable retractive material, and said annularelements are hollow, cylindrical in con figuration with a normaldiameter substantially equal to the reduced diameter of said wall, butstretchable for application over said rims. 6. A detachable handle asspecified in claim 1, wherein:

said integral upper and lower annular elements of said handle snuglyencompass the cylindrical wall of said container, flatwise thereagainst,and said handgrip element normally hangs limply therebetween but extendsoutwardly from said annular elements to exert a horizontal pull on saidannular elements when serving as a handgrip, whereby said handgrip, whenunder tension, tends to bind said annular elements in position toprevent accidental downward movement of the container within saidhandle.

7. In combination with a beverage container of the type having an upperand lower projecting circular rim of predetermined diameter outlining acylinder of said diameter therebetween separated by a generallycylindrical side wall of reduced diameter;

a detachable, crushable handle formed of a single piece of normally flatplanar, low-cost, limp, disposable material;

said handle having integral upper and lower annular portions each havinga circular inner edge, each encircling said cylindrical side wall,between said rims, and each distorted from said flat planar body lfiiill llii s li r i% c%d li am t gi of fii side wall and in parallelismtherewith wholly within the confines of the said cylinder outlined bysaid projecting rims, and

said handle having an integral, limp, portion connecting said annularportions and spaced from said side wall, said limp portion normallyhanging limply but being extensible to form a handgrip for supportingsaid container as a drinking cup, and being freely crushable andyieldable against said side wall for storage and shipment.

8. In combination with a beverage container of the type having aprojecting upper and lower circular rim outlining a cylinder ofpredetermined diameter separated by a generally cylindrical side wall ofreduced diameter a detachable handle formed of a single piece oflowcost, disposable material which normally lies in a plane;

said handle having at least one integral, substantially annular portionhaving a circular inner edge, distorted from said plane into acylindrical sleeve encircling said cylindrical side wall, between saidrims and in parallelism therewith, and supporting said containertherein, said sleeve having an inside diameter and an outside diameterless than the diameter of said rims and entirely within the confines ofsaid cylinder outlined by said rims;

said handle having at least one integral, limp handgrip portionconnected to said annular portion and normally hanging limply downwardlytherefrom, said limp portion being adapted to form a handgrip forsupporting said container as a drinking cup, but being freely crushableagainst said side wall for storage and shipment.

1. A detachable handle for cylindrical containers, of the beer can typehaving projecting rims at each opposite end which outline a cylinder ofgreater diameter than the diameter of the cylindrical wall of said can,said handle comprising: a one-piece body of low-cost, limp, disposable,normally flat material, said body having: a pair of substantiallyidentical, integral, annular elements, each having a circular inneredge, each encircling said cylindrical container at a spaced distancefrom the other and each distorted into a hollow, cylindrical loopsleeved around, and closely fitting around said container to extend inparallelism with said can wall entirely within the confines of thecylinder outlined by said can rims, and a limp, crushable handgripelement integrally formed of said material and connecting said annularelements, said handgrip element normally forming a limp,downward-hanging loop spaced from said container but being freely andnon-resiliently compressible against said container to permit adjacentcontainers to touch in storage or shipment.
 2. A detachable handle asspecified in claim 1, wherein: said integral handgrip element is anannular element identical with said pair of annular elements and forminga pair of spaced-apart handle loops each curved away from the other andadapted to receive the fingers of the human hand while yieldablyconforming to the configuration thereof without cutting or chafing theskin.
 3. A detachable handle as specified in claim 1, wherein: said bodyis formed of sheet material and normally lies in a plane but saidannular elements are distorted from said plane to each assume a hollow,cylindrical configuration normal to said plane, in parallelism with andin intimate frictional engagement with, and substantially sleeved aroundthe cylindrical wall of said container and the inside diameter of saiddistorted, hollow, cylindrical, annular elements is substantially equalto the outside diameter of said cylindrical can wall.
 4. A detachablehandle as specified in claim 1, wherein: the material of said body is alimp, non-self-supporting, elongated strand, and said annular elementsare integral, closed circular loops of said strand, each ofpredetermined diameter relative to the diameter of said container, to beattachable over any projecting rims on said container while supportingsaid container against ''''fall-through'''' while in parallelism by anangular snubbing tension from the direction of the handgrip element ofsaid body.
 5. A detachable handle as specified in claim 1, wherein: saidbody is formed of stretchable retractivE material, and said annularelements are hollow, cylindrical in configuration with a normal diametersubstantially equal to the reduced diameter of said wall, butstretchable for application over said rims.
 6. A detachable handle asspecified in claim 1, wherein: said integral upper and lower annularelements of said handle snugly encompass the cylindrical wall of saidcontainer, flatwise thereagainst, and said handgrip element normallyhangs limply therebetween but extends outwardly from said annularelements to exert a horizontal pull on said annular elements whenserving as a handgrip, whereby said handgrip, when under tension, tendsto bind said annular elements in position to prevent accidental downwardmovement of the container within said handle.
 7. In combination with abeverage container of the type having an upper and lower projectingcircular rim of predetermined diameter outlining a cylinder of saiddiameter therebetween separated by a generally cylindrical side wall ofreduced diameter; a detachable, crushable handle formed of a singlepiece of normally flat planar, low-cost, limp, disposable material; saidhandle having integral upper and lower annular portions each having acircular inner edge, each encircling said cylindrical side wall, betweensaid rims, and each distorted from said flat planar body into a hollowcylindrical sleeve substantially equal in diameter to the said reduceddiameter of said side wall and in parallelism therewith wholly withinthe confines of the said cylinder outlined by said projecting rims, andsaid handle having an integral, limp, portion connecting said annularportions and spaced from said side wall, said limp portion normallyhanging limply but being extensible to form a handgrip for supportingsaid container as a drinking cup, and being freely crushable andyieldable against said side wall for storage and shipment.
 8. Incombination with a beverage container of the type having a projectingupper and lower circular rim outlining a cylinder of predetermineddiameter separated by a generally cylindrical side wall of reduceddiameter a detachable handle formed of a single piece of low-cost,disposable material which normally lies in a plane; said handle havingat least one integral, substantially annular portion having a circularinner edge, distorted from said plane into a cylindrical sleeveencircling said cylindrical side wall, between said rims and inparallelism therewith, and supporting said container therein, saidsleeve having an inside diameter and an outside diameter less than thediameter of said rims and entirely within the confines of said cylinderoutlined by said rims; said handle having at least one integral, limphandgrip portion connected to said annular portion and normally hanginglimply downwardly therefrom, said limp portion being adapted to form ahandgrip for supporting said container as a drinking cup, but beingfreely crushable against said side wall for storage and shipment.